Pink dogwood &#34;Benifuji&#34;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety, called &#34;Benifuji&#34;, of a pink dogwood tree substantially as herein shown and described characterized particularly as to novelty by the unique combination of the appearance of a large number of branches with an upright limb growth habit, as tall as the known variety &#34;Miss Satomi&#34;, having leaves of medium size substantially equivalent to the wild varieties, a flower diameter of approximately 8-9 cm with the color of the flower being deep purplish pink and the distance between branches being small. The plant substantially does not become unbalanced as a result of trimming.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE NEW PLANT

The variety "Benifuji" originated as a selection from a mass ofseedlings cultured by us in our experimental nursery at ShinkyoGotenba-shi, Sizuoka-ken, Japan. In an effort to improve the range ofvariation in commercial dogwood trees available in commerce, wecollected seeds from wild dogwood trees of the species Cornus kousa,growing on the southeastern slopes of Mount Fuji. A number of seeds werecollected in 1970, at an altitude ranging from about 800 to 1,000 metersabove sea level. The seeds so collected were sown in mass in theabove-identified experimental nursery, resulting in a large populationof seedlings showing a wide range of variation in their properties andtheir characteristics.

The seedlings were allowed to grow. During initial screenings, seedlingshaving an unusually high amount of reddish coloration in the tips of thestems and leaves were screened and labeled to identify them and todistinguish them from the mass population.

In monitoring the screened and labeled plants in June 1978, anindividual plant having a height of approximately 2 meters and in a veryrare, red stem color with a high concentration of reddish pigment wasdiscovered. This plant was separated from the remainder of thepopulation, and transplanted to a different location to be furtherobserved. This original specimen plant was observed for a period ofseveral years and found to maintain a stable stem color, and othertraits which set it apart from the remaining plants of the seedlingpopulation. At present, the original specimen of this plant has grown toa height of approximately 4.5 meters and has attained a spread of about2.5 meters, with the trunk having a girth of 19 cm (and a diameter ofapproximately 6 cm, based on calculation) at a height of about 1.2meters.

We have asexually reproduced "Benifuji" by grafting scions of "Benifuji"into seedling root stocks at our nursery at Shinkyo, Gotenba-shi,Shizuoka-ken, Japan and have found the specimens so produced to beidentical to the original selection in every distinguishingcharacteristic.

The new variety "Benifuji" holds the following distinct characteristics:

APPEARANCE

(1) A strong central leader with moderate to heavy branch density,scaffold branches strongly ascending; forming crutch angles of 45° orless with the central leader.

(2) A mature tree shape of upright to narrow upright shape, comparableto "Miss Satomi".

(3) Leaves are medium size and substantially equivalent to wildvarieties.

(4) A blossom diameter of approximately 8 to 9 cm.

(5) The color of the blossom is deep purplish pink, No. 9505 in theJapanese Color Code, and No 61D or 66C in The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart;

(6) The distance between branches is small and tree shape can bemaintained even without pruning.

GROWTH

"Benifuji" has been found to be easily asexually reproduced by grafting.Propagules started with wood from the tree may be successfully used andhave been found to be reliable and are easily reproduced. The tree hasbeen successfully and easily reproduced by grafting branches with themethod of grafting and the results obtained being common to the wildCornus kousa variety. Sproutlings are readily obtained around any prunedportion of the tree. The tree has been successfully asexually reproducedby rooted cuttings.

The tree appears to be as resistant as wild Cornus kousa to commonCornus kousa diseases. The tree also appears to be resistant to insectdamage. To date, no severe damage by blight or insects has been observedon specimens of this plant. Additionally, this plant is relatively easyto grow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

In the accompanying photographs:

FIG. 1 shows a typical specimen of the new variety, the color of whichis as nearly true as possible with the color illustrations of thischaracter;

FIG. 2 shows comparison of the claimed variety, "Benifuji" andcomparative varieties, i.e., the variety known as "Miss Satomi" and awild variety;

FIG. 3 shows an original specimen of the claimed variety "Benifuji",which photograph was taken on Jun. 15, 1991 at Ogawa-Machi, Sunto-gunShizuoka-ken, Japan;

FIG. 4 shows the bark of the present variety "Benifuji" as well as awild variety and "Miss Satomi" (right, center, left);

FIG. 5 shows the top surface of the leaves of "Benifuji", a wild varietyand "Miss Satomi" (right, center, left);

FIG. 6 shows the bottom surface of the leaves of "Benifuji", a wildvariety and "Miss Satomi" (right, center, left);

FIG. 7 shows an individual fruit of "Benifuji"; and

FIG. 8 shows several fruit of "Benifuji", both attached to the tree andremoved therefrom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description was made with respect to plants growing atShinkyo, Gotenba-shi, Sizuoka-ken, Japan.

Color terminology is in accordance with the ISCC-NBS method ofdesignating colors in the United States for the literal descriptions ofthe colors, followed by the numerical designation for the specific coloras taken from the Japan Standard Horticulture Color Chart. Selectedcolor values are specified with reference to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart where appropriate for convenient comparison.

PARENTAGE AND GROWTH HISTORY

Our plant originated as a seedling selected from a population obtainedfrom seeds collected from native dogwood trees growing on the southeastslopes of Mt. Fuji at an altitude between about 800-1000 meters abovesea level. Seed had been collected in October, 1970. Five liters of seedwere originally collected. The seed were treated to break dormancy andplanted in mass. In the spring of 1971, about 90% of the seeds wereestimated to have germinated. The population of seedlings wererepeatedly screened for seedlings having brown pigmentation in theexpanding shoots, of which a number were found and identified.

From among the identified, individually screened plants, a wide range ofindividual characteristics were observed, including wide variations incoloration of plant parts. One individual plant, among the screenedplants, was conspicuously superior in characteristics of having normalblossom character, uniform blossom distribution and an attractive,upright tree shape with strong, ascending and dense branching. Uponrecognition of these superior traits, the plant of this disclosure wasidentified and the tree, "Benifuji", has been repeatedly multipliedasexually by grafting.

GROWTH HABIT

The claimed variety, "Benifuji", has an upright limbed growth habit withheavily branching characteristics. Branching is dense with placement ofscaffold branches so close that removal of many of them will not resultin loss of the tree's balanced figure.

The bark of "Benifuji" has fine texture and darker color than wildCornus kousa. The color of the bark is green the first year and thenchanges to whitey-grey in the next year, getting darker and darker inthe following years. The color eventually becomes darker than the wildCornus kousa comparison variety. Texture of the bark is fine. There areno other observed differences on the bark, such as lenticels, between"Benifuji" and the wild Cornus kousa comparison variety.

FIG. 4 of the drawings shows the bark of the present variety "Benifuji"as well as of a wild variety of Cornus kousa and "Miss Satomi" (right,center and left, respectively).

The colors of the leaves in the fall are as follows, with the colorsbeing identified in accordance with the Japanese Color Code Nos:

Japanese Color Code Nos. 0705-0707 for "Benifuji";

Japanese Color Code Nos. 0705-0706 for both the wild Cornus kousa andfor "Miss Satomi".

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the fruit of "Benifuji". The multiple fruit grow upto 1.5-3.0 cm in diameter and mature in September before the fallfoliage coloration.

BLOSSOMS

The blossoms are highly attractive and have a deep purplish pinkcoloration. The typical size of the blossom is approximately 8-9 cm.Blossoms are shown in FIG. 2.

TRUNK AND BRANCHES

The ramets of the tree develop into small trees having a single trunkand dominant central leader. Tree form may be obtained with minimalbasal pruning. Specimens have strongly ascending branches which join thecentral leader in strong unions of about 45° angles. Trees are notbasally dominant and form into densely branched and foliated specimensof upright figure, with tree shape being comparable to that of "MissSatomi". A typical specimen at the above-noted production location at anage of ten years will have obtained a height of approximately 3.5meters, a spread of approximately 2.5 meters and a trunk diameter of 4cm at a height of 1.2 meters. After about twenty years, a typicalspecimen at the above-noted production location will have obtained aheight of 4.5 meters.

Limbs are strongly ascending and are densely appointed with secondarybranches to form a canopy of moderate-to-heavy density, as shown in FIG.1.

FOLIAGE

The claimed variety has leaves typically medium-sized and substantiallyequivalent to that of the wild dogwood which is used as a comparisonexample in FIG. 2.

Size: "Benifuji": 7-11 cm long (with an average of 8 cm) and 3.5-5.0 cmwide (with an average of 4.2 cm).

Wild Cornus kousa.--8-11 cm long, 5-6 cm wide.

Miss Satomi".--9-12 cm long, 7-9 cm wide.

Shape: Leaves of the claimed tree are more lanceolate and less oval thanthose of the comparison specimen trees.

Color: The leaves of the claimed plant are shown to be of a lightergreen color than those of either comparison tree. The fall colors of theleaves are as follows, with reference to the Japanese Color Code Nos.:0705-0707 for "Benifuji". 0705-0706 for both wild Cornus kousa and "MissSatomi". The color of the leaf stems are: Dark reddish orange (No. 0715)for Benifuji. Yellow green (No. 3511) for both wild Cornus Kousa and for"Miss Satomi".

The upper side margins of the leaves include a slight reddish blush butthere is not any red blushed appearance nor tomentum on the undersidemargins of the leaves.

Characteristics of the margins: The margin of the leaves of each treeare crenate and entire; but the margin of the leaves of the claimed treehas a finely wavy character when compared with the leaves of the othertwo comparison trees.

Surface of the leaves: "Benifuji", wild Cornus kousa and "Miss Satomi"have almost equal density and attitude of tomentum, that exist only in afew delta areas (where venation and a midrib join) on the bottom surfaceof each leaf. The color of "Benifuji" is redder than the comparisonvarieties.

Glaborusness: There is no significant difference among the threevarieties ("Benifuji", wild Cornus kousa and "Miss Satomi") in thisrespect.

Attitude and positioning: The leaves of "Benifuji" reflex to a muchhigher degree and are involute to an extent which allows for theopposite margin to nearly clasp on some leaves, while the leaves of bothcomparison trees are much more planar and imbricated in theirpositioning.

Comparison of the degree of contrast between the top and bottom surfacesof the leaves can be seen most clearly with respect to FIGS. 5 and 6 ofthe attached photographs.

Timing of the color change: The color change occurs in the fall, whereinthe leaves turn reddish. This occurs on the first and second ten days ofNovember.

FRUIT

Fruit appears in the summer and matures in the first or second ten daysof September. They are edible and taste sweet and jelly-like. Birds alsoeat the fruit. These traits are common to the comparison Cornus kousavarieties.

COMPARISON OF VARIETIES

To demonstrate the distinctiveness of the claimed variety "Benifuji",two known varieties, i.e., the variety known as "Miss Satomi" and a wildvariety, which was observed in Yuki-shi Ibaragi-ken, Japan wherecompared.

To facilitate comparison, experimental cultivation was performed withthe claimed variety "Benifuji" and with the comparative varieties, i.e.,the variety known as "Miss Satomi" and the wild variety.

"Benifuji" was grafted in March of 1982 along with the variety, "MissSatomi". A specimen of each plant was planted along with wild seedlingsof Cornus kousa on its own stock for comparison of the growthcharacteristics at the above-noted culture location in the first tendays of May, 1982. The specimens were pruned only once in February, 1984by trimming the lower branches.

On Jun. 5, 1985, blossoms and foliage, as depicted in FIG. 1, wereobserved on "Benifuji", but "Miss Satomi" and the wild specimen had notyet come into the flowering stage, which did not occur until,respectively, Jun. 1 and June 5, 1986, even though each specimen hadreceived organic compound fertilizer treatment in the winter of eachyear. The specimens of each tree had obtained a height of about 1.5meters by January, 1984.

In further observation of "Benifjui", the following characteristics havebeen observed to botanically characterize the trees:

Figure: Upright, cup-shaped.

Size: Moderately tall.

Trunk: Thin; substantially thinner than "Miss Satomi".

Branches:

Color.--Grey-brown.

Branching.--Densely ramose; that of "Miss Satomi" being scanty whencompared to wild Cornus kousa. That of "Miss Satomi" can be said to be"medium" when compared to Cornus florida.

Joint span.--Very small; that of "Miss Satomi" being wider. Join anglesare about 45°.

Foliage:

Shape.--Ovate elliptic; that of "Miss Satomi" being wider.

Tips.--Acuminate; those of "Miss Satomi" are rounded.

Bases.--Attenuate; those of "Miss Satomi" are rounded.

Size.--Medium; those of "Miss Satomi" are large.

Character.--Involute; those of "Miss Satomi" being flat.

Color.--Strong green, R.H.S. 132B for the top surface, matt.

Hair.--Present only in delta areas where venation and midribs join onthe bottom surface. The hairs are fine, short and dense. They aresubstantially the same as "Miss Satomi" or the wild Cornus kousacomparison variety except for the difference in color noted above.

Leaf stem.--Short green. Sunburned portions grow reddish brown. The leafstem of the comparison trees are green.

Margin.--Complete finely wavy.

Blossoms:

Pose.--Upward.

Character.--Single involucre of four imbricated bracts.

Size.--Medium; "Miss Satomi" is of larger size.

Bracts.--Ovate, thin.

Color.--Deep purplish pink; R.H.S. 61D to 66C.

Pedicel.--3-3.5 cm.

Fragrance.--None.

Fruit:

Shape.--Round.

Size.--1.5 cm in diameter.

Seeds.--3-5 per fruit.

Color.--Moderate red orange; R.H.S. 35B, 39B, 42C, 42D, 44D, 48B, 179B,or 180B.

Foliation: Last ten days of April at the above-noted growing location.

Flowering: Over last ten days of May to middle ten days of June.

Defoliation: With the cold temperature in autumn, after the fall offrost.

Hardiness: Hardy.

Tolerates: High summer temperatures as standard for Cornus kousa,tolerates colder temperatures than Cornus florida.

Resistance: Medium resistance to disease and insects.

General: Easy to culture.

The most distinguishing characteristics of "Benifuji" might be ssen inits unusual presentation of pink or pink purplish flowers over anextended season (its blooming season coming later than Cornus florida),its smaller leaves of unusual shape, margin and color (the leaves of"Benifuji" having a reddish color from the beginning) for the speciesand its ability to develop into a densely branched and foliated specimenof moderate size and upright figure. "Benifuji" develops into matureform with a minimum of pruning, and flowers at ages earlier thancomparison varieties to offer a distinctive specimen of excellentappearance in landscape use.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of pink dogwood plantsubstantially as herein shown and described, characterized particularlyas to novelty by the unique combination of appearance of (1) a largenumber of branches and upright limb growth habit, (2) as tall as knownvariety "Miss Satomi", (3) medium size leaves equivalent to wildvarieties, (4) a flower diameter of approximately 8-9 cm, (5) the colorof the flower being deep purplish pink and (6) distance between branchesis small and hardly becomes unbalanced as a result of pruning.